Chinese New Year 2015

This year's Chinese New Year (CNY) began on February 19.  That put Chinese New Year's Eve on February 18, and already then the shops started shutting down and the customary reunion dinners began.  Some of us went to the mall the evening of February 18.

The parking garage is usually very full.  This evening, many 

people were visiting in homes as part of CNY tradition.

Malls in Singapore are usually packed with people.

We are still learning how much we need to stock up on groceries around Chinese New Year! Not only are shops closed, but when they reopen, the shelves are empty because no one is making any deliveries.  It is amazing how much this holiday shuts down the island.  But it is a very important holiday for the people here in part because of the amount of visits with family and friends that they may not see that often throughout the year.

Jim VanOverloop was able to get a good taste of CNY and all the traditions that surround it. He and a few others were invited to the home of Felix & Angela Chan on CNY Eve, and afterwards they all went downtown for the festivities there.  (Thanks to Bernice for these pictures!)

Dinner at the Chans'

Tightrope walker with the Singapore Flyer in the distance

Bernice and Jessica

Isaac and Eric

Fireworks over the bay

There was another large celebration in Chinatown.

One of the interesting cultural things related to Chinese New Year is lion dancers.  Lion dance troupes travel from place to place throughout Chinese New Year, with two people dressing up as a lion (one the head and one the body), and others along to play instruments. They are hired by shops to come and dance for them, thus bringing good luck and wealth to the shops in the new year.  One website said there is a mirror on the head of the lion where evil spirits will see themselves and be scared away by their own reflections.  There is so much superstition involved in these customs!

Passing a lion dance troupe on the road today

A lion dancer performing near our place a few days ago

Today a lion dance troupe came back to our neighborhood and went around to all of the shops, performing their rituals at each one.  A few of the kids and I went down there to watch and observed something very interesting at the place where the girls get their hair cut.  The woman who cuts their hair came out of her shop to grab some joss sticks, then went back in and kneeled down before an altar that is always set up in there.  After a minute the lion dancers followed her in and kneeled before that altar for a minute too.  I was able to get a video of part of the ritual:

But among all the worldly customs and superstitions, God's people here can celebrate Chinese New Year in their own way.  Besides spending time with family and friends, CERC has its own CNY Visitation each year.  This year three homes were opened for people to go today for fellowship, an exhortation, singing, and lunch.

Lunch

Fellowship after lunch

This year is the Year of the Goat or the Year of the Sheep/Ram.  (The Chinese character for goat can also refer to sheep or rams.)  How fitting that Daniel 8 talks about both a ram and a goat, and so that was the text for the Sunday morning sermon the week Chinese New Year began.  We were reminded that in all the rises and falls of nations, and in the coming persecution for the church, Christ is working out His counsel. We trust in Him to guide us by that counsel in this new lunar new year.

Two Outings

Last Friday evening we had our February homeschoolers' outing.  The group was a bit small this time, but we were joined by Jim VanOverloop, who is here to visit our family.  The outing was at Pasir Ris Park, a beautiful park on the coast of Singapore.

Wan Teng with Joseph

Megan and her friend Jochebed

 

Jochebed and Jason

Getting ready for devotions before supper

Eric, Johann, Jotham, and Jason

Picnic supper

Today we spent a few hours on Pulau Ubin, an island of Singapore.

Lunch with Yoon Chuan and Jim VanOverloop before going to the island

The entry to the ferry terminal was decorated for Chinese 

New Year.  The Year of the Goat begins this week.

Jessica and Emily arriving on the island

Jim and Yoon Chuan

We spent a couple of hours walking around the island.

One of the old Muslim cemeteries on the island

We saw quite a few huge spiderwebs today, and the spiders inside were enormous too!

(If you can't see it clearly, click on it to enlarge it.)

We also saw some monkeys along the path where we were walking.

Put away the snacks and pick up big sticks so they don't attack!

Looking back at them--We made it past safely. :-)

You cannot go to Pulau Ubin without being struck by the beauty of God's creation.

This tree towers above all the others.  It has a wire running down the side of it to 

keep the tree from getting struck by lightning.  This is attached:

Lightning strike recorder (currently at 5)

The top of the tree

After an enjoyable walk, it was time to head back to Singapore.

Fish farms in the back, toward the island

As I write this blog, I'm listening to a Covenant Christian High School choir CD.  One of the songs is especially fitting:  "Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:  How great Thou art!"

Sports in Singapore

Although watching college and professional sports teams play isn't as common here as it is in the U.S., the people here are very active themselves.  Once a week some guys from church gather at a condo basketball court and play basketball; once a week some people gather for soccer; and every once in a while, like this morning, a small group meets at Bishan Park, a large park near our house, for a game of baseball.  One thing you will notice in most of these pictures is that everywhere you go, you are surrounded by high rises!

Basketball this past summer with Matt Kortus

The court in the middle is where Eric plays soccer with a group from church each week.

Baseball at the park this morning

Elisa, Bernice, and Lee Yang

Eric pitching to Ivan

Elisa's turn to hit

A wider view of the field and surrounding area

And in hot Singapore, there are plenty of swimming pools!  There are many public pools which anyone can use for a very small fee.  Also, those who live in condos have their own condo complex pools.  Below are a couple of those that we have used, belonging to people from church.

This pool even has exercise equipment and chairs right in the water!

Our kids swimming with Yang Zhi, with a view of the city behind

Jason at the home of his Aunty Jean

(the Chinese way of referring to adults--"Uncle & Aunty," not "Mr. & Mrs.")